Stamp dispenser



Oct. 13, 1964 Filed Oct. 14, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 film 4b 52 zo 1o INVENTOR ARTHUR c. M'E- WILLJAMS A-r-ro away Oct. 13, 1964 A. c. M WlLLlAMS STAMP DISPENSER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14; 1963 lllllnllll Heb 7/IIIII INVEN TOR.

. 4 \6 4 ARTHUR CLMEWIL-LIAME jig 2 ATTORNEY 3,152,739 Patented Oct. 13, 1964 3,152,739 ST DKSPENSER Arthur C. McWilliarns, 333 Barton, Evanston, ill. Filed Get. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 316,041 2 Claims. Cl. 22546) This invention relates to a dispenser for feeding a discrete length of stamps from a strip roll thereof.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a stamp dispenser fordispensing a discrete length of stamps from a strip thereof, the dispenser being char- The hollow body member 11 is provided with a top I closure indicated generally by thereference numeral acterized by a hollow body member including a base- I with upstanding walls, and a closure which operates to support the stamp roll for the feeding movement thereof, the closure having means depending from the underside thereof for guiding the stamp roll, together with means operable from the upper side of the closure to feed a discrete length of stamps past stamp severing structure located in an opening of the body member. Another object is to provide a stamp dispensing device where all of the structure for effecting movement of the stamp strip is totally concealed within the housing.

Other objects and important features of the invention will be understood from a reading of the following specification taken with the drawings, which together describe and illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, and what is now believed to be the best mode of practicing the principles thereof. Other embodiments of the invention may be suggested to those having the benefit of the teachings herein, such other embodiments are intended to be reserved, especially as they are defined by the claims subjoined.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a stamp dispenser having the improvements according to the present invention embodied therein; 1

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a vertical. sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of HG. 2. looking in the direction of the FIG. 5 is a section taken along the line 55 of FIG. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the closure for the dispenser seen in FIGS. 1 to 3 inclusive, showing the manner in which a roll of stamps can beloaded for support by the closure;

FIG. 7 he bottom View of the top closure of the dispenser;

continuous upstanding wall 13 therefrom. The base 12 may be provided with a recess 14 to receive a metal weight 16 serving to keep the dispenser it? in position atop 'a desk or the like. The underneath side of the base 12 may be covered with green baize or felt 17 to prevent the body member 11 from marking furniture upon which it may be placed.

Gne end of the body member 11 is provided with a vertical slot 18, and slotl8 supports a serrated knife 19, the serrations of which correspond to the perforations of a stamp.

29, top enclosure 20 including a flange 21 which 'fits in position over the top of the wall 13 as seen particularly in FIG. 3. The top closure 20 provides structure for supporting a roll of stamps RS in position within the body member 11, and for advancing a strip of stamps to be severed at the knife 19. The top closure 20v is accordingly provided with a substantially central hollowv guide boss 22 which fits over a guide bushing 23 having its lower end held in a hollow boss 24 extending upward from the base member 12. boss 22 has a plurality of equiangularly spaced guide posts 26 therearound for the roll of stamps RS, this roll of stamps being additionally guided about the hollow boss 24.

The roll of stamps RS is maintained in position when the closure 24 is inverted from the position seen in FIG. 6 to the position atop the hollow body member 11, as seen in FIG. 4, by means of a pair of spring clips 27, each of these having end vertical legs 28 adapted to be received in drilled guideways 29 in the guideposts 26.

Referring now to FIG. 5, it will be noted that the retaining clips 27 are spaced from a diameter through the guide bushing 24, and thus afford a pair of spaced members providing a support for the roll of stamps RS when closure 20 is inverted to the position shown.

' Structure is provided for feeding a strip of stamps S, and to this end the top closure 20 has a support boss 31 extending downward from the inward side thereof, supportboss 31 supporting a shaft 32 having a central feed roller 33 mounted thereon, roller 33 being covered with a flexible elastomeric surface.

The lower end of shaft, 32 extends into a lower end bearing plate 33, and bearing plate 33 supports a pair of elastomer covered idler rollers 36 and 37 which flank the main feed roller 33. Each of these rollers is mounted in respective shafts 3S and 39, these shafts being held in position on the bottom journal plate 34 by means of nuts 41 threaded to the lower ends of the shafts 38 and 39. e

The upper ends of the shafts 3 8 and 39 are likewise held in an identical upper journal plate 42, which is seen more clearly in FIG. 9, upper journal plate 42 having an opening 46 for the shaft 32 supporting main feed roll 33. Journal plate 42 also has an opening 43 for the shaft 39 for roller 37, and roller 36 is mounted for adjustable movement with respect to the feed roller 33 by an elongated slot 44 in the upper journal plate 42. The shafts 38 and 39 are fixed in their position with respect to the upper journal plate 42 by holding nuts 46 secured to the upper ends of the respective shafts 3S and 39. 42 is identical with the lower journal plate 34 so that the adjustment of the rollers can be readily had.

The shaft 32 driving the feed roller 33 is threaded as at .47 at the top thereof, and a driving knob 48 is threaded to the driving shaft 32 to turn the feed roller 33.

it will be noted from FIG. 6 that a length of stamp strip S can be payed from the roll of stamps RS around one of the guide posts '29, around a first feed roller 37, thence around the central feed roller 33, the strip then being led between the other feed roller 36 and the slot 18 in the end of the hollow body memberll. The foregoing operation is first done when theclosure is removed from the hollow body member 12, and after the operations described are completed, the closure is held in position atop the'hollow body member by means of a fastening nut 5t? which is threaded at 49rto the upper The central hollow I It may be noted thatthe upper journal plate 3 end of the guide bushing 23. It will be noted from the foregoing that all the structure for concealing the stamp feed assembly is concealed Within the hollow body member 11. It will also be noted that the structure for bold ing the roll of stamps RS is readily removable with the closure member asa unit, when it is desired to add an additional supply of stamps to the structure described.

While the invention has been disclosed in terms of a preferred embodiment thereof, its scope is not intended to be limited by the precise embodiment herein shown, the scope being intended to be limited only by the claims here appended.

I claim:

1. In a stamp dispenser, a hollow body member having a base and a continuous wall extending upward therefrom, a generally vertical opening in said wall including means at said opening for severing a strip of stamps along a perforation in said strip, a top closure for said hollow body member including structure as sociated with said closure and dependent therefrom when said closure is in position atop said continuous wall, said top closure including a plurality of equiangularly spaced guide posts depending therefrom, detachable resilient retaining means for acoil of stamps held between .said guide posts, said detachable resilient retaining means extending between a pair of said guide posts along a line parallel to a diameter of said coil, and stamp feeding means depending from said closure comprising a stamp strip drive roller, a pair of idler rollers in contact with said stamp strip drive roller and adapted to guide said stamp strip upon turning of said stamp strip drive roller, and a knob extending from said closure to drive said stamp strip drive roller.

2. In a stamp dispenser, a hollow body member having a base and a continuous wall extending upward therefrom, a generally vertical opening in said Wall including means at said opening for severing a strip of stamps along a perforation in said strip, a top closure for said hollow body member including structure associated with said closure and dependent therefrom when said closure is in position. atop said continuous wall, said top closure including a plurality of guide posts depending therefrom, detachable resilient retaining means for a coil of stamps held between said guide posts, said detachable resilient retaining means extending between a pair of said guide posts along a line parallel to a diameter of said coil, and stamp feeding means depending from said closure comprising a stamp strip drive roller, a pair of idler rollers in contact with said stamp strip drive roller and adapted to guide said stamp strip upon turning of said stamp strip drive roller, and a knob extending from said closure to drive said stamp strip drive roller.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 61,065 Helfricht Jan. 8, 1867 r 1,270,530 Wolf June 25, 1918 FOREIGN PATENTS 729,693 France May 2, 1932 

1. IN A STAMP DISPENSER, A HOLLOW BODY MEMBER HAVING A BASE AND A CONTINUOUS WALL EXTENDING UPWARD THEREFROM, A GENERALLY VERTICAL OPENING IN SAID WALL INCLUDING MEANS AT SAID OPENING FOR SEVERING A STRIP OF STAMPS ALONG A PERFORATION IN SAID STRIP, A TOP CLOSURE FOR SAID HOLLOW BODY MEMBER INCLUDING STRUCTURE ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CLOSURE AND DEPENDENT THEREFROM WHEN SAID CLOSURE IS IN POSITION ATOP SAID CONTINUOUS WALL, SAID TOP CLOSURE INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF EQUIANGULARLY SPACED GUIDE POSTS DEPENDING THEREFROM, DETACHABLE RESILIENT RETAINING MEANS FOR A COIL OF STAMPS HELD BETWEEN SAID GUIDE POSTS, SAID DETACHABLE RESILIENT RETAINING MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN A PAIR OF SAID GUIDE POSTS ALONG A LINE PARALLEL TO A DIAMETER OF SAID COIL, AND STAMP FEEDING MEANS DEPENDING FROM SAID CLOSURE COMPRISING A STAMP STRIP DRIVE ROLLER, A PAIR OF IDLER ROLLERS IN CONTACT WITH SAID STAMP STRIP DRIVE ROLLER AND ADAPTED TO GUIDE SAID STAMP STRIP UPON TURNING OF SAID STAMP STRIP DRIVE ROLLER, AND A KNOB EXTENDING FROM SAID CLOSURE TO DRIVE SAID STAMP STRIP DRIVE ROLLER. 